Designed for Good Health

How smart interior design can promote physical and mental wellbeing

By Chris Warren

Photo Courtesy Shutterstock

Every January many of us look beyond the four walls where we live for the answer to good health—be it a gym, a yoga studio or even the doctor’s office. But interior designers understand that good health truly does start at home by surrounding yourself with the right colors, furniture and even artwork. Here are a few ways to improve your health by updating the look of your home.

Use products that won’t make you sick

In our modern world it’s impossible to completely avoid chemicals. But there’s no reason to bring them into your home if you don’t need to. Mary McNelis, owner of Mary McNelis Interiors, chooses paints that don’t contain harmful VOCs. Her favorite is Benjamin Moore’s line of Aura paints, which she says have a deep, rich color and another added health benefit. “It also inhibits the growth of mold, which is a problem at times in our humid environment,” she says.

Choose the right colors

Whether it’s paint or wallpaper, selecting the right colors can go a long way toward boosting wellbeing. When picking a palette, McNelis says to start by thinking about the purpose of each room. She recently worked with a single mom in Alamo Heights who has three young boys. She used strong, bright colors—like moss green and dusty orange—throughout what is an active house but then added a sense of calm with a deep plum-like color in the mother’s bedroom.

Bring the outdoors inside

Many people find peace by spending time in nature. That same sense of wellbeing is possible if you invite nature indoors. “It’s a simple yet effective way to create mental serenity,” says Carolyn Gnam, owner of Carolyn Gnam Design. Start by incorporating Fiddle Fig plants. “Its large green leaves and often large-scale can almost instantly change the feel and look of a space,” Gnam says.

Minimize clutter

A house crammed full of stuff is stressful and not good for your health. “I believe clutter in a home can create clutter in your mind,” says Gnam. Which doesn’t mean you need to put everything in your house on eBay. Instead, Gnam advises people get selective and keep the items that make them happiest. “I’m not necessarily talking about minimalism, but thoughtful editing and displaying what you have and love,” she says.

Avoid kid-free zones

Because stress is the enemy when your goal is good health, there’s no need to establish rooms in the home where your kids are not welcome (often because of nice furniture or artwork). McNelis not only believes all areas of a home should be open to the entire family, but that surrounding kids with beautiful items can provide important lessons. “Kids can and should be taught to respect nice things,” she says.

This article appears in the January 2016 issue of San Antonio Magazine